During the ramp up of the 2016 election, several of my union friends were going door to door to encourage fellow union workers to vote for the democrats in November. At first, they thought it was a waste of time because historically most union members voted for them anyway.
To their surprise over half said they were done with Washington politicians with big promises and no action and had decided to vote for the businessman who in the end, lied to them. It became apparent, months before election day, that the democrats would lose. Unfortunately, the DNC failed to listen and ignored the growing frustration of their base.
President Biden is attempting to correct the decades of political complacency; however, it will be an uphill battle because politicians on both sides have been well compensated by big business to look the other way. It’s going to be up to all of us to pressure them into action, if we don’t workers will continue to lose.
The progressive wing of the Democratic Party doesn’t take workers for granted. People like Bernie and AOC fight for workers. The corporate Dems do everything they can to keep the progressives from gaining more power.
Here’s another approach… rather than pitting one bully against the other (union v. management), start companies that are built to share profits with employees and sees the company as a community rather than a profit making machine. A trust owned company can do this, and ensure that things like egregious siphoning of wealth to the top is not done. Instead supporting employees and the community in which the organization thrives become paramount. It’s doable if the shareholders want it. So if you’re a business owner look into it (happy to help) and if you’re a stockholder willing to activate other stockholders changes can be made.
Unions serve a purpose - but the whole system could use some rethinking!
None of these things would be an issue if we had normal elections where each candidate has a small, equal amount of money to spend on their campaign. Get the money out of politics, which has essentially become legalized bribery, and suddenly you get only people who WANT to do the job of a public official. Suddenly you get to hear ideas and legislation that will actually impact the country instead of lies, propaganda & misinformation for the sole purpose of getting and keeping a job they have absolutely no interest in actually doing. We have to change the incentive structure in politics and until we do, it feels like we will be stuck in this loop.
I’ve always been pro union, and, of course, still am today. So, I hope you are correct.
But, to be successful, unions will have to overcome their history of graft, greed and corruption. Then, there is the other problem of the pied piper Donald Trump constantly beating the country with his hate stick that all too many people are happily and eagerly following.
Obviously, this hopeful turnabout to unionize will take time. Hopefully it’s shorter rather than longer.
People really need to be educated on how much unions have helped the working class. It’s irrefutable. But we have also seen that unions can be corrupted. Once again, dark money and the wrong people leading need to be removed as soon as it becomes obvious they aren’t doing what they were elected to do. Like our US politicians, we have to stop looking the other way and stop worrying that it will look bad to call these people out!
Two things that I believe are hurting unions in the private sector:
1)Right to work laws -- My state, Virginia, is a right to work state. I saw first hand the effect this law had on Steelworker's Local 8888, a large union representing shipyard workers at Newport News, Va. Many shipyard workers would not join the union to save on paying dues, and this weaken the union considerably.
2) Perception of Corruption -- Stories in the 1970s and 1980s of Mafia control and corrupt leadership in the Mine Workers union, the Teamsters, and unions associated with cities like New York City, severely damaged the reputation of unions with the American people. I saw corruption first hand as a brief member of the Teamsters union in the early 1970s while selling beer in Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.
At the risk of becoming a pariah in this space and others, I propose that strengthening union power and increasing participation across the board may not be the panacea for the Democratic Party and our nation that many seem to think. Clear evidence that unions can cause harm to citizens including our most vulnerable ones should be taken into consideration in any worthwhile policy efforts. The near stranglehold of certain unions/related associations (I'll let folks fill in at least one blank here) on municipal governments is one example. Pervasive corruption and/or racism in some is another. Splitting the benefits of monopoly/oligopoly power between corporations and strong unions at the expense of customers and other stakeholders in situations of inelastic demand/supply is yet another. The ability for management and labor to commit mutual destruction with collateral damage to others may be "part and parcel" of the system but is worthy of consideration. Nuance is needed as in most things although not simple or convenient. Also the overall need not to "throw out the baby with the bath water" as the saying goes is crucial.
Thanks for yet another informative article and video. The problem is that a majority of the blue class workers support the Republican Party and still believe in trickle down economics. In the process, they shoot themselves in the foot.
Here’s an example. According to the article below,”MARCH 12, 2017
Reporting from Washington — Americans who swept President Trump to victory — lower-income, older voters in conservative, rural parts of the country — stand to lose the most in federal healthcare aid under a Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, according to a Times analysis of county voting and tax credit data.
“Among those hit the hardest under the current House bill are 60-year-olds with annual incomes of $30,000, particularly in rural areas where healthcare costs are higher and Obamacare subsidies are greater.
“In nearly 1,500 counties nationwide, such a person stands to lose more than $6,000 a year in federal insurance subsidies. Ninety percent of those counties backed Trump, the analysis shows.”
Union activity is an important training ground for young people. It is both a social activity and an important stepping stone to understanding the class nature of society and where their economic interests are in the political system. One hope for the future is the fact that educated young people are being forced into the regimented controlled alienating production process in which they are treated not as people but as productive units and they are rebelling against this. Let’s hope that unlike the majority of the baby boomers who sold out rather than continue the movements that changed society, the generations coming up will understand that without major changes capitalism isn’t going to share the wealth with them anymore. Amazon is busy building the 21st Century equivalent of the company town with the company store and they are the company workers making a 19th Century unlivable wage. And by the way here come the robots replacing both manual and office labor.
Sounds like the PRO Act would strengthen unions were it not for the filibuster/Republican opposition. Back when I was at my working peak, I was a college French Teaching Assistant and took great pride in it. I later went on to become an Art/French teacher of which I was also proud. We had teacher’s unions then, which made salaries higher than if they did not exist and provided an important safety net. I am all for unions and hope they increase power for all workers. But the coal workers concern me. With climate change being a real challenge to get carbon emissions down as soon as possible, it is important to note that we need to transition to cleaner energy sources. According to Google, “renewable energy resources include moving water (hydro power, tidal and wave power), thermal gradients in ocean water, biomass, geothermal energy, solar energy, and wind energy. This is all doable and would create more jobs and stimulate the economy. We should look to other developed nations and follow their lead in this field. I digress from the main topic, but I say what I think is relevant. It is good to know that the desire for unionization is on the rise and I am hoping that when I go back to work, I might be able to join one.
(The Peninsula of Industry) as a youth, working with my business owner father; WW2 submariner, work-a-holic, honest to a fault. I once asked him why the Democratic Club was a hub of activity and The Republican Club was boarded up ? Being a man of few words, he surprised me with his response. "Well son, that is because we live in the birth place of The Democratic Party. And any working class person who votes Republican is a fool."
Years later as an IBEW union rep, working for N.J.Bell Telephone, I was obliged to attend quarterly union meetings. Our business at the meetings was similar to those of the public utility members and were somewhat patented complaints which were dealt with ipso facto and succinctly. Each meeting then dealt with private contractors who were obliged to use union labor on commercial, industrial and institutional work. Atlantic City was making a resurgence after being devastated by the riots of the late 60's and all but abandoned by any investment by corporate or private concerns(huh). And Trump, leaping on low real estate prices was hip deep in that resurgence. EACH & EVERY meeting which I attended ended with those private contractors adamantly complaining about Trumps non-payment of contracts, legal maneuvers to avoid payments of debt and the ill-affects of such on our union members and working folk. "Any working person who votes Republican is a fool." Great insight Dad !
My union wages supported me and paid for my college tuition. I graduated debt-free. I took a thirty percent cut in pay and loss of benefits when I left union employment for my first job in the the white collar world. That was before the federal government started selling "rugged individualism" and joined with corporations to bust unions. Without organization individual employees are at the mercy of employers.
I am pursuing my issue. I say I am deluged for requests for money as if the one with the most money is inevitable winner. I don’t know what they are saying with my money. I might not agree.
Politics should not be like sports teams. Is there any evidence Democratic writing convinces Republicans?
My suggestion is to glorify Independents and perhaps we can turn some Republicans into Independents
Independents pride themselves as looking at both sides
I agree 100 % with Robert Reich. Despite the gloom and doom of COVID and the gradual transformation of the Republican Party into the Trumpist (Fascist) Party, we need to get out and VOTE!
How workers continue to believe the bosses, the billionaires, the oligarchs are on their side is stupefying. How workers continue to get sidetracked by racial, cultural, and conspiratorial red herrings promulgated by those same oligarchs and their minions-federal and state legislators and judiciary- is maddening. Even most unions are self-absorbed and self-dealing. Even the foundational truism that workers worldwide are more closely bound as sister and brother comrades than with their own national cudgels of the oligarchs-military and law enforcement-seems dead. American workers are too cowed, too gullible, too ignorant and just too damned scared to act as one. And government's not going to help.
During the ramp up of the 2016 election, several of my union friends were going door to door to encourage fellow union workers to vote for the democrats in November. At first, they thought it was a waste of time because historically most union members voted for them anyway.
To their surprise over half said they were done with Washington politicians with big promises and no action and had decided to vote for the businessman who in the end, lied to them. It became apparent, months before election day, that the democrats would lose. Unfortunately, the DNC failed to listen and ignored the growing frustration of their base.
President Biden is attempting to correct the decades of political complacency; however, it will be an uphill battle because politicians on both sides have been well compensated by big business to look the other way. It’s going to be up to all of us to pressure them into action, if we don’t workers will continue to lose.
The progressive wing of the Democratic Party doesn’t take workers for granted. People like Bernie and AOC fight for workers. The corporate Dems do everything they can to keep the progressives from gaining more power.
Here’s another approach… rather than pitting one bully against the other (union v. management), start companies that are built to share profits with employees and sees the company as a community rather than a profit making machine. A trust owned company can do this, and ensure that things like egregious siphoning of wealth to the top is not done. Instead supporting employees and the community in which the organization thrives become paramount. It’s doable if the shareholders want it. So if you’re a business owner look into it (happy to help) and if you’re a stockholder willing to activate other stockholders changes can be made.
Unions serve a purpose - but the whole system could use some rethinking!
None of these things would be an issue if we had normal elections where each candidate has a small, equal amount of money to spend on their campaign. Get the money out of politics, which has essentially become legalized bribery, and suddenly you get only people who WANT to do the job of a public official. Suddenly you get to hear ideas and legislation that will actually impact the country instead of lies, propaganda & misinformation for the sole purpose of getting and keeping a job they have absolutely no interest in actually doing. We have to change the incentive structure in politics and until we do, it feels like we will be stuck in this loop.
I’ve always been pro union, and, of course, still am today. So, I hope you are correct.
But, to be successful, unions will have to overcome their history of graft, greed and corruption. Then, there is the other problem of the pied piper Donald Trump constantly beating the country with his hate stick that all too many people are happily and eagerly following.
Obviously, this hopeful turnabout to unionize will take time. Hopefully it’s shorter rather than longer.
People really need to be educated on how much unions have helped the working class. It’s irrefutable. But we have also seen that unions can be corrupted. Once again, dark money and the wrong people leading need to be removed as soon as it becomes obvious they aren’t doing what they were elected to do. Like our US politicians, we have to stop looking the other way and stop worrying that it will look bad to call these people out!
Two things that I believe are hurting unions in the private sector:
1)Right to work laws -- My state, Virginia, is a right to work state. I saw first hand the effect this law had on Steelworker's Local 8888, a large union representing shipyard workers at Newport News, Va. Many shipyard workers would not join the union to save on paying dues, and this weaken the union considerably.
2) Perception of Corruption -- Stories in the 1970s and 1980s of Mafia control and corrupt leadership in the Mine Workers union, the Teamsters, and unions associated with cities like New York City, severely damaged the reputation of unions with the American people. I saw corruption first hand as a brief member of the Teamsters union in the early 1970s while selling beer in Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.
At the risk of becoming a pariah in this space and others, I propose that strengthening union power and increasing participation across the board may not be the panacea for the Democratic Party and our nation that many seem to think. Clear evidence that unions can cause harm to citizens including our most vulnerable ones should be taken into consideration in any worthwhile policy efforts. The near stranglehold of certain unions/related associations (I'll let folks fill in at least one blank here) on municipal governments is one example. Pervasive corruption and/or racism in some is another. Splitting the benefits of monopoly/oligopoly power between corporations and strong unions at the expense of customers and other stakeholders in situations of inelastic demand/supply is yet another. The ability for management and labor to commit mutual destruction with collateral damage to others may be "part and parcel" of the system but is worthy of consideration. Nuance is needed as in most things although not simple or convenient. Also the overall need not to "throw out the baby with the bath water" as the saying goes is crucial.
Thanks for yet another informative article and video. The problem is that a majority of the blue class workers support the Republican Party and still believe in trickle down economics. In the process, they shoot themselves in the foot.
Here’s an example. According to the article below,”MARCH 12, 2017
Reporting from Washington — Americans who swept President Trump to victory — lower-income, older voters in conservative, rural parts of the country — stand to lose the most in federal healthcare aid under a Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, according to a Times analysis of county voting and tax credit data.
“Among those hit the hardest under the current House bill are 60-year-olds with annual incomes of $30,000, particularly in rural areas where healthcare costs are higher and Obamacare subsidies are greater.
“In nearly 1,500 counties nationwide, such a person stands to lose more than $6,000 a year in federal insurance subsidies. Ninety percent of those counties backed Trump, the analysis shows.”
https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-obamacare-trump-supporters-20170312-story.html?_amp=true
Union activity is an important training ground for young people. It is both a social activity and an important stepping stone to understanding the class nature of society and where their economic interests are in the political system. One hope for the future is the fact that educated young people are being forced into the regimented controlled alienating production process in which they are treated not as people but as productive units and they are rebelling against this. Let’s hope that unlike the majority of the baby boomers who sold out rather than continue the movements that changed society, the generations coming up will understand that without major changes capitalism isn’t going to share the wealth with them anymore. Amazon is busy building the 21st Century equivalent of the company town with the company store and they are the company workers making a 19th Century unlivable wage. And by the way here come the robots replacing both manual and office labor.
Sounds like the PRO Act would strengthen unions were it not for the filibuster/Republican opposition. Back when I was at my working peak, I was a college French Teaching Assistant and took great pride in it. I later went on to become an Art/French teacher of which I was also proud. We had teacher’s unions then, which made salaries higher than if they did not exist and provided an important safety net. I am all for unions and hope they increase power for all workers. But the coal workers concern me. With climate change being a real challenge to get carbon emissions down as soon as possible, it is important to note that we need to transition to cleaner energy sources. According to Google, “renewable energy resources include moving water (hydro power, tidal and wave power), thermal gradients in ocean water, biomass, geothermal energy, solar energy, and wind energy. This is all doable and would create more jobs and stimulate the economy. We should look to other developed nations and follow their lead in this field. I digress from the main topic, but I say what I think is relevant. It is good to know that the desire for unionization is on the rise and I am hoping that when I go back to work, I might be able to join one.
When driving around old Bayonne N.J.,
(The Peninsula of Industry) as a youth, working with my business owner father; WW2 submariner, work-a-holic, honest to a fault. I once asked him why the Democratic Club was a hub of activity and The Republican Club was boarded up ? Being a man of few words, he surprised me with his response. "Well son, that is because we live in the birth place of The Democratic Party. And any working class person who votes Republican is a fool."
Years later as an IBEW union rep, working for N.J.Bell Telephone, I was obliged to attend quarterly union meetings. Our business at the meetings was similar to those of the public utility members and were somewhat patented complaints which were dealt with ipso facto and succinctly. Each meeting then dealt with private contractors who were obliged to use union labor on commercial, industrial and institutional work. Atlantic City was making a resurgence after being devastated by the riots of the late 60's and all but abandoned by any investment by corporate or private concerns(huh). And Trump, leaping on low real estate prices was hip deep in that resurgence. EACH & EVERY meeting which I attended ended with those private contractors adamantly complaining about Trumps non-payment of contracts, legal maneuvers to avoid payments of debt and the ill-affects of such on our union members and working folk. "Any working person who votes Republican is a fool." Great insight Dad !
My union wages supported me and paid for my college tuition. I graduated debt-free. I took a thirty percent cut in pay and loss of benefits when I left union employment for my first job in the the white collar world. That was before the federal government started selling "rugged individualism" and joined with corporations to bust unions. Without organization individual employees are at the mercy of employers.
I am pursuing my issue. I say I am deluged for requests for money as if the one with the most money is inevitable winner. I don’t know what they are saying with my money. I might not agree.
Politics should not be like sports teams. Is there any evidence Democratic writing convinces Republicans?
My suggestion is to glorify Independents and perhaps we can turn some Republicans into Independents
Independents pride themselves as looking at both sides
I agree 100 % with Robert Reich. Despite the gloom and doom of COVID and the gradual transformation of the Republican Party into the Trumpist (Fascist) Party, we need to get out and VOTE!
How workers continue to believe the bosses, the billionaires, the oligarchs are on their side is stupefying. How workers continue to get sidetracked by racial, cultural, and conspiratorial red herrings promulgated by those same oligarchs and their minions-federal and state legislators and judiciary- is maddening. Even most unions are self-absorbed and self-dealing. Even the foundational truism that workers worldwide are more closely bound as sister and brother comrades than with their own national cudgels of the oligarchs-military and law enforcement-seems dead. American workers are too cowed, too gullible, too ignorant and just too damned scared to act as one. And government's not going to help.